Spinning Saturday: 1958 Full Moon Trial
On this day in 1958, we ran the Full Moon Trial. Entries were limited to 50 drivers, as promoted in the the Evening Post.
Our Monthly News magazine described what event would entail for our members…
True to the word, the winners did get their names in the Evening Post on 24th March 1958! It wasn’t quite a full entry with just 19 starters.
The results were published in the newly revamped club magazine in the first edition entitled Driving Mirror. Nearly 70 years later, we still publish Driving Mirror to our club members. You will recognise the names of many hills we still use today on the Allen Classic Trial.
FULL MOON TRIAL
This event was held on Saturday, the 22nd March, in the afternoon, and attracted an entry of 20 cars. It consisted of 3 observed sections and 8 special tests over a 40-mile route in the Mendips.
We arrived at the start (The Mile 3) a little earlier than we expected, but found that some competitors were already there. Having stood talking to other competitors in a bitter east wind, we were glad to collect our route card, etc., and leave, 8 minutes after the first car. at 2.38.
We were soon off the Bridgewater Road and heading towards the first test—test A.—-This was a rolling and breaking test on a steep gradient with a fair surface and we noticed that already someone had overshot the failure line.
We pressed on through Winford, noting two uniformed gentle men in a smart black saloon parked in the forecourt of a public house, to the first observed section, Little Elwell, and test B—a stop and restart and clear the line in 3 seconds, the latter being held in the steepest part ot the observed section. No difficulty was experienced here.
Along the track at the top of this hill we found test C.—This was a forward. reverse, forward, and stop astride the finishing line test, on a good surface.
We now followed the straightforward and accurate route card through the lanes to Ubley. This observed section would have been more interesting. as would the other parts of the route, had the weather been more ” tyoically British “. Here we saw one competitor leave the starting line in a cloud of smoke, leaves, stones, etc., proceed to do stop and restarts at all the observed section marking cards and cross the line at an extraordinary velocity. Later we learnt that he had mistaken the observed section for test D, which was actually at the top of this hill. We carried on for I-mile to test E where we were required to drive forward round a corner cross over a line, reverse over the starting line and drive straight forward to stop astride the finishing line. At this test we were able to watch several other competitors performing, including one who proceeded to uproot part of the countryside and stop astride the finishing line with a brake cable trailing. Must say here that the course was non-damaging.
Next, about eight of us departed together for Charterhouse and another special test centred around a triangle.
It was interesting to see cars departing from this test, in different directions, however, they all managed to arrive at Burledge, the last observed section. This section also combined another 3 seconds restart test on a stony surface, followed at the top by the final test which was the same as test C.
A steady run took us back to the finish where snacks were available.
We were quite “chuffed” but a little surprised to find that we had lost the least number of points in this our first event together. Thanks must go to Mr. Marshall and his team of helpers for providing us. and others, with an excellent afternoon’s entertainment at a very small cost.
N. R. Pow & T. K. OSBORNE.
